MIDDLE EAST: Thousands of people demonstrated in central Tel Aviv to protest against Israel’s plan for the mass expulsion of Eritreans and Sudanese who entered the country illegally.

TECHNOLOGY: Britain’s information regulator said it was assessing evidence gathered from a raid on the office of data mining firm Cambridge Analytica, part of an investigation into alleged misuse of personal information by political campaigns and social media companies like Facebook.

TOP STORY

United States: Students march saying “Enough is Enough”

In a historic day of youth activism, hundreds of thousands of teenagers and their supporters rallied across the US against gun violence vowing to transform fear and grief into a “vote-them-out” movement.

More than 800 sister protests were planned nationwide and abroad, with solidarity events taking place in Edinburgh, London, Geneva, Sydney and Tokyo.

The young activists and their supporters revived a national debate over gun control, even pushing a pro-gun rights Florida Legislature to take incremental steps on restrictions.

The White House responded in a statement. “We applaud the many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights today.”

Voter registration activists fanned out among young Americans who marched for tighter gun laws, signing up thousands of first-time voters who vowed to eject lawmakers who oppose gun controls.

Region: A Chadian soldier and 20 Boko Haram members were killed in a clash in the restive Lake Chad region near Nigeria, said a Chadian military officer. (AFP)

DR Congo: Military officials said 13 militiamen were killed during clashes with an unidentified group after coming under attack in the country’s volatile northeastern Ituri province. (Reuters)

Mozambique: The Police in the province of Nampula detained 29 people on who were allegedly to join the rioters in Mocimboa da Praia, in the northernmost province of Cabo Delgado. (Xinhua)

Nigeria: Residents of Dapchi were hoping for the release of the last schoolgirl kidnapped by Boko Haram, following encouraging indications from the authorities after the militants returned more than 100 youngsters they had seized. (AFP)

AMERICAS

Brazil: At least seven people were killed in a confrontation with police in Rio de Janeiro’s Rocinha favela and several others were injured, as an army takeover of Rio’s security services drags well into its second month. (Reuters)

Ecuador: Twelve people were killed and another 25 were injured when a bus careened off a road in a western coastal region, officials said. (AFP)

Region: China’s air force has held another round of drills in the disputed South China Sea and the Western Pacific after passing though Japan’s southern islands, the air force said, calling such exercises the best preparation for war. (Reuters)

North Korea: The government appears to have slowed down operations at its main nuclear site of Punggyeri, ahead of leader Kim Jong Un’s upcoming summits on denuclearization with South Korea and the United States. (UPI)

Japan: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, his ratings in a slump amid a suspected cronyism scandal and cover-up, apologized again for causing anxiety and loss of confidence in his government. (Reuters)

Sri Lanka: Police and politicians backed by the country’s former strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa joined anti-Muslim riots that rocked Kandy’s district this month, according to witnesses. (Reuters)

Greece: Police in the northern city of Thessaloniki have arrested three Pakistanis who allegedly held 21 migrants hostage in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city, demanding money to release them. (AP)

Portugal: The president and prime minister, as well as several government ministers, on took part in forest clearance programs across the country, in an effort to reduce the potential for wildfires. (Xinhua)

Russia: The government rejected comments by NATO’s top commander in Afghanistan that it has been supporting and supplying weapons to the Taliban, in a clash of words that underlines growing tension over Moscow’s involvement in the conflict. (Reuters)

Israel: Thousands of people demonstrated in central Tel Aviv to protest against the government’s plan for the mass expulsion of Eritreans and Sudanese who entered the country illegally. (AFP)

Syria: Rebels and civilians started evacuating the penultimate opposition-held pocket of Eastern Ghouta, as the government moved ever closer to taking full control of the battered enclave. (AFP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Technology: Britain’s information regulator said it was assessing evidence gathered from a raid on the office of data mining firm Cambridge Analytica, part of an investigation into alleged misuse of personal information by political campaigns and social media companies like Facebook. (AP)